MP raises concern over poll Constitutional Instrument

The Vice Chairman of the Subsidiary Legislation Committee of Parliament, Kofi Osei-Ameyaw has raised concerns about portions of a Constitutional Instrument introduced by the Electoral Commission (EC) to regulate voting procedures on Election Day.

According to him, regulation 16 (1) of the instrument gives the EC powers to change the election date from the proposed first Monday of November to another day usually within 30 days after the issuance of a writ.

Speaking to Class News’ parliamentary correspondent, Ekow Annan, Mr Osei-Ameyaw said he was uncomfortable with that regulation of the instrument.

“A couple of areas I have difficulties [with] is regulation 16, as I remember – adjournment of poll”, which states that: “The commission may, at any time between the issue of a writ and a day specified in the writ as polling day, adjourn the taking of the poll for a period of not more than 30 days after the day specified earlier”.

This, according to Mr Osei-Ameyaw, means that the “EC under this regulation can change the poll date to another date and it should be done within 30 days, so I am wondering if we amend to vote on 7 November and she has issued a writ, does this allow her to postpone for another 30 days, which will take us to December. That is what I am beginning to wonder, otherwise, what is this provision doing here”.

“If it relates to parliamentary and something has happened and we cannot hold one parliamentary election and we want to postpone it, that is understandable, but to the presidential, once you have issued a writ that we are going to vote in November and then for some reason we want to invoke the provisions of regulations 16, then I think we may have an issue. The way it is couched, I am not happy with it...” the Asuogyaman lawmaker added.